This Black Friday marked a personal first for me. I actually stood in line, in the cold, just to be one of the first shoppers allowed into a store when it opened at Midnight.

--IMAGE HERE--

So what was I after? Was it the latest electronics? Could it have been a video game system? Perhaps even a sale on tennis shoes? No, no, and no. The only thing that could have convinced me to engage in what I had always characterized as silly behavior was of course cheap guns!

And I was certainly not the only one. My brother-in-law and I were the first two in line, arriving at the Dicks Sporting Goods in Johnson City Tennessee around 8:00 PM on Thanksgiving. But we had no sooner setup our camp chairs than others began to arrive. The next to arrive was a deaf shooter who showed us on the sale flyer that he was there to get one of the doorbuster gun safe specials. And then, as if some invisible floodgates had opened, we were quickly joined by dozens and then hundreds of others who, by the time the store opened at midnight, were lined up around the block.

And despite the rowdy and even dangerous crowds reported at other stores, the line at Dicks was orderly, polite, and full of people who exemplified why gun owners are some of the best people in America. I had several six packs of soda in my van which I retrieved and shared. Another man was there with his father who made several trips to McDonalds to get coffee for those in line. And we all took turns holding each others places during bathroom breaks.

But perhaps the most inspiring thing of all was when an employee emerged at 11:30 to hand out tickets for the doorbuster gun safes. Even though quantities were limited, those in line made sure that the deaf man, who couldnt hear the employees announcement, got his ticket first before they got their own. You will not find that level of consideration anywhere else and I was proud of my fellow sportsmen and women.

And thats another thing that I found so promising about the night. There were more women in line than men. One woman told us she was getting a shotgun for her teenage son for turkey hunting. Another woman was a competitive shooter. It was great to see this visible representation of a phenomenon we have all been taking about for years.

When the doors opened, the crowd did rush inside, but not so fast as to trample anyone or knock over merchandise. Within 30 seconds of the door being unlocked, the gun counter had a crowd of hundreds surrounding it. From what I could see, the best selling guns were the Remington 700, the Ruger 10/22, and the Mossberg Maverick shotgun. Even more popular than the guns themselves were the gun safes and the 50% sale on all ammunition. By morning, the shelves were stripped bare across the entire section.

This was not a local phenomenon either. Similar reports are coming in from all across the country. Colorado reported doing over 4,000 background checks on Black Friday while the number in California was reportedly over 10,000. I suspect that when all the numbers are finally in, this Black Friday will break all previous records for gun sales.

As for me, I am just glad that what started out as a rather miserable cold night turned into a celebration of what is still great about America; guns, freedom, and consideration for your fellow citizen.

But perhaps the most inspiring thing of all was when an employee emerged at 11:30 to hand out tickets for the doorbuster gun safes. Even though quantities were limited, those in line made sure that the deaf man, who couldnt hear the employees announcement, got his ticket first before they got their own. You will not find that level of consideration anywhere else and I was proud of my fellow sportsmen and women.

Perhaps there is still hope for America.

3
posted on 11/24/2012 8:15:39 AM PST
by mylife
(The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)

I've heard some very good things about that shop (Dick's Sporting Goods in Tennessee). But I have made some spectacular deals online with BUD'S and never been unhappy. I've done trades with them and many sales over the last several years. I've got their VIP membership that guarantees overnight free shipping. So no standing in line for me! I am fortunate to have a local FFL that will do a transfer for only about $25, too. If you didn't buy the gun from THEM, many places charge up to $100 for the transfer and background check.

5
posted on 11/24/2012 8:22:14 AM PST
by ExSoldier
(Stand up and be counted... OR LINE UP AND BE NUMBERED...)

And God bless you for this report and for peacefully exercising your freedom. There is no doubt that the line was full of conservatives, as if the line had been full of greedy selfish lazy racist liberals, they would have not stood in line, but instead the late comers would have cut in front of others, they would have made a mess outside, and they would have broken the glass, stole the guns in a big mob, and insisted it was owed to them .

This though does not give me hope, but instead sadly reminds me of the America we once were, of honest, hard working, free, and God loving citizens....now destroyed beyond recognition by racist liberals turning it into a pitiful socialist state. God help us, we will never be the same, as there are no more braze souls willing to fight.

"...people who exemplified why gun owners are some of the best people in America."

While I've been trying to go Galt and reduce my presence on Internet boards, I had to tell you that this is the most uplifting article I've read since the disaster of November 6, 2012. Thank you and God Bless America and the growing gun ownership.

I also know of a woman who has always been fearful of guns, now looking to buy one. Just wish I had bought shares in Smith&Wesson back when Bambi first soiled our White House. THE only positive thing that pretender has done is increase ownership of weapons.

Here's another feel good point: The Fedgov or States will never have enough resources to go house to house to confiscate our self-defense weapons as many on these boards claim they will do. It's impossible.

I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis. Every new gun owner is a further anchor securing our rights and we need to reach out to those who have allowed the media to paint guns in a negative light and take them shooting.

Wow! (wish I'd known about that - would have made me at least THINK about going!)

I hope they had some sort of new system in place for handling customers, because anytime I've been to Dick's, more than one gun sale going on will practically shut down their gun counter for a while. With hundreds of people there, if even 15 of them were buying guns at the same time, I'd say it literally took them all night. If things were that busy elsewhere, the NICs center was probably giving 'callbacks' to everyone anyway, due to the volume(a few big gun shows will slow them to a crawl). Most likely all of those folks at Dick's picked up their gun purchases the next day(or two).

You are right. It took them most of the night to handle all of the customers. And TICS (the Tennessee system) wasn’t even open so you had to fill out the form, pay, and then pickup the gun the next day. But the savings were decent. :)

"Cabelas locally had a Bushmaster AR15 with some off brand red dot for $649."

Nice! Isn't that what they cost like, 25 years ago? Would have been preferable to pull off the cheap optic and buy two of those rifles. Could sell one of them a week later and get nearly ALL of your money back!

Of course the Feds won’t go door to door to take your weapons. They will print out the list of people with registered firearms in a given area and then announce that you will bring your newly purchased firearm to the central location. They won’t take your guns, you will turn them in. And if you do not then they will come knocking. After you see a few neighbors go to prison on a federal felony, you will turn in your guns. Your guns or your family’s welfare, you choose.

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